Author guide

Max Brooks Books in Order

Max Brooks is an American author, screenwriter, and actor whose books combine horror, satire, military history, and speculative fiction. His major works include The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z, The Harlem Hellfighters, Minecraft: The Island, Devolution, and the Minecraft trilogy. He has also written and co-edited graphic works and collections on military strategy.

horrorsatirescience fictionnonfictionmilitary fictiongraphic novels

Catalog record updated August 25, 2026.

Max Brooks's Newest Book

Tiger Chair: A Short Story

short_story · First published 2024

China thought it would be a quick war, an easy war. But now, years later, as the insurgency on the streets of Los Angeles escalates but the propaganda never changes, a Chinese officer can’t keep silent any longer. Torn between loyalty to his country and loyalty to his troops, he writes a brutally honest—and possibly suicidal—letter home to unmask the truth. Brooks combines his signature meticulous research with unforgettable characters in this landmark work of speculative fiction.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead

The clearest entry point to Brooks's zombie-survival satire and fictional nonfiction.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

The best entry point to Brooks's signature oral-history novel and zombie-war universe.

The Harlem Hellfighters

The strongest starting point for his historical graphic fiction.

Minecraft: The Island

The first book in the complete official Minecraft novel trilogy.

Read in order

Books by series

comic series · complete

G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds

A complete G.I. Joe graphic-comics series written by Max Brooks.

Series guide →

1
G.I. Joe: Hearts & Minds
Book 1 · graphic_novel · 2010

comic series · complete

The Extinction Parade

A graphic-comics series about vampires, zombies, and the collapse of an old order.

Series guide →

1
The Extinction Parade, Volume 1
Book 1 · graphic_novel · 2014
2
The Extinction Parade, Volume 2: War
Book 2 · graphic_novel · 2015

novel series · complete

Minecraft

A completed trilogy of official Minecraft novels following stranded explorers in the Minecraft world.

Series guide →

1
Minecraft: The Island
Book 1 · novel · 2017

An official tie-in to the globally popular video game traces the story of a new hero stranded in the world of Minecraft who must survive a harsh environment while unraveling the secrets of a mysterious island. By the best-selling author…
2
Minecraft: The Mountain
Book 2 · novel · 2021

Written by Max brooks, the books follows the story of the previous book's protagonist after leaving the island. They will have to face their toughest challenge yet, having to survive in the cold environment of the mountain.
3
Minecraft: The Village
Book 3 · novel · 2023

The final book in Max Brooks's official Minecraft trilogy! The New York Times bestselling author of Minecraft: The Island details the story of two stranded heroes whose block-breaking expedition lands them squarely in the middle of a…

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

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Novels (7)

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
nonfiction · 2003

"Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it. From the Stone Age to the information age, the undead have threatened to engulf the human race. They're coming. They're hungry. Don't wait for them to come to you! This is…
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
novel · 2006

We have (temporarily?) defeated the living dead, but at what cost? Told in the haunting and riveting voices of the men and women who witnessed the horror firsthand, World War Z is the only record of the pandemic. The Zombie War came…
The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
graphic_novel · 2009

The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand…
The Harlem Hellfighters
graphic_novel · 2014

"From bestselling author Max Brooks, the riveting story of the highly decorated, barrier-breaking, historic black regiment--the Harlem Hellfighters. The Harlem Hellfighters is a fictionalized account of the 369th Infantry Regiment--the…
A More Perfect Union
graphic_novel · 2016
Germ Warfare: A Very Graphic History
graphic_nonfiction · 2019
Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre
novel · 2020

As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now. The journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town’s bloody…

Short fiction (2)

Closure, Limited and Other Zombie Tales
short_story_collection · 2011
Tiger Chair: A Short Story
short_story · 2024

China thought it would be a quick war, an easy war. But now, years later, as the insurgency on the streets of Los Angeles escalates but the propaganda never changes, a Chinese officer can’t keep silent any longer. Torn between loyalty to…

Edited works (2)

Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict
edited_collection · 2018
Winning Westeros: How Game of Thrones Explains Modern Military Conflict
edited_collection · 2019

Set in the fictitious world of Westeros, the hit television series Game of Thrones chronicles the bitter and violent struggle between the realm’s noble dynasties for control of the Seven Kingdoms. But this beloved fantasy drama has just…

Frequently asked questions about Max Brooks

Who is Max Brooks?

Max Brooks is an author, public speaker, and nonresident fellow at the Modern War Institute at West Point. He is best known for using zombie and disaster fiction to explore preparedness, adaptation, and social resilience.

Sources: penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)maxbrooks.com (opens in a new tab)

Is Max Brooks the son of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft?

Yes. Max Brooks is the son of comedy filmmaker Mel Brooks and actor, director, and screenwriter Anne Bancroft.

Source: 2021.alamidwinter.org (opens in a new tab)

What is Max Brooks’s career beyond writing novels?

Alongside his fiction, Brooks has worked as a public speaker, analyst, and columnist on national-security issues. His professional work has included fellowships with the Atlantic Council and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

Source: maxbrooks.com (opens in a new tab)

What influences Max Brooks’s writing?

His writing draws on military history, science fiction, and real-world crisis preparedness. Brooks has said that he uses historical events, alternative history, and counterfactual thinking to examine how people and institutions respond to danger.

Sources: mwi.westpoint.edu (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)

What awards has Max Brooks’s work received?

The full-cast audiobook of World War Z won the 2007 Audie Award for Multi-Voiced Performance. The American Library Association also identifies the audiobook as an Audie Award winner.

Sources: audiofilemagazine.com (opens in a new tab)2021.alamidwinter.org (opens in a new tab)